The Prayer for Evening
by Sits'n'Cries
Summary: Harry is having a waking nightmare,surrounded by people he might actually like better off dead.How much of this was a happy accident that the Dark Lords favorite victim would be dropped on his doorstep and isn't dead yet?Intended Slash HPDM/HPTM
1. Ch 1 Birds in the cage

Inside the Malfoy manor the chandelier crashed down, scattering shards of crystalline glass. The large double doors leading directly to a large tea room, swung open and out sprang three figures. Gripping wands in front of them, they stare down at the glittering wreckage of the anteroom, the chandeliers black beribboned chains swaying gently above.

The man and the forefront, tall, skin bleached bone white and eyes flickering from the door opposite, the windows (all untouched), till he spied suddenly in the middle under the bulk of the glass and twisted metal a glint of scarlet. The shards had buried dagger like into four motionless bodies, pale and bloodied. The woman to the his right had spotted them a second later and let out a screech.

"Impossible!?" She screamed, shaking with disbelief. "No one- Never could anyone have entered undetected-"

No," The bone-white man said coolly, "Unless they were already inside." The blonde man and the woman stared at him, clearly stunned by this suggestion. The woman raised a shaking hand toward him, then dropped it thinking better of the gesture.

Surely M'lord is not afraid we have b-betrayed him," she said weakly, "we who have come like moths to the flame of his glorious endeavors-"

No, Bellatrix," the man allowed himself a small smile, which seemed to melt Bellatrix's fear as she beamed back. "I was only wondering at the possibilities of the scene before us, Lucius?"

The blonde man jumped at the sound of his name and gave a stiff sort of nod, when he spoke his voice seemed to come form further away than the mere inches separating them. "Y-yes…M'lord?"

"Are you familiar with any of our guest?"

Lucius looked as if he might be sick but gave a cursory at the bodies, five of them coated in dust and matted with blood. One was a woman weighted with strings of beads and jewels, her mouth sagging open, the others looked Hogwarts age, two blonde headed girls and a blonde boy, the last two were dark haired and Lucius thought perhaps the one nearest them looked like someone he'd met…

"Potter?" Lucius murmured bending down. "shouldn't they be on the train back to London for Christmas now?"

"Exactly, why is one of Dumbledore's precious students here and accompanied be strangers?" M'lord spoke quietly.

"Dumbledore's favorite?" Bellatrix snarled aiming a kick at the unconscious body's foot, she and Lucius had been graduated for three years now. In that time Lucius had gotten engaged to her sister and the dark lord had secured a vital position under Dumbledore's nose as DADA teacher and had been since September of the year before gathering to him students who were worthy of serving him and Potter though of pureblood was worthless. He wasted his purity by chasing after mud bloods and defending other worthless students, another filthy pet of Dumbledore's.

"Do think he was spying?" Lucius asked.

The dark lord ran a hand through the dark hair that contrasted sharply with his chalky pallor, "Lucius can you tell me why this chandelier has fallen?"

"No, M'lord."

"What about it's value, is the glass expensive?"

"Yes, it was made by the only goblin family to use glass on it's silver… I'm told the glass was made from a rare sand." Lucius added.

"Rare?"

Lucius nodded.

As if now reminded of it's worth the glass and glittering dust rose into the air and reformed crystals and glass jewels. It was beautiful the air hung with flashing bright jewels which then burst like a miniature fireworks display, white glitter raining down and disappearing.

"Impossible to destroy?" M'lord wondered aloud. Lucius started, he had not mentioned that. It was true in rumor at least, the chandelier was said to never sustain permanent damage. Any injury to it's frame or jewelry would

Vanish.

*8*


	2. Ch 2 Impossible People

*8*

!!!Some fine print!!!

_**I do not own or have ever owned any part of the Harry Potter series, characters, Publishing, movie franchise, marketing, merchandise, copyright, manuscript, etcetera. **__**I am not JK Rowling**__**, I have never and will never pretend to be, I write this merely for personal entertainment and share it on to get criticism on it's style and content, not to copy or degrade her work. If you are the owner or author or legal representative **__**Please do not sue me**__**, just contact my account or the site and I Shall comply with any request to remove and delete this fan fiction. Thank you.**_

**Here I would like to add a note here further on the future content and style of this fanfic. It is rated M, the highest it would allow me to list for very good reasons. The future content will likely contain slash (boy/boy) content and other mature themes. Do not read if you do not approve or are under the age guidelines for mature content. **

**If you find any of the depictions offensive or disturbing please stop reading. I will place warnings at the top of any of the chapters containing these or other themes. This is my first fanfic and I'm not familiar with all of the terms so If I've missed something please tell me. **

**Thanks for reading, please review as often as every chapter if you like!!**

*8*

The boy awoke thanks to the heat and pressure on his forehead, it was suffocating and he screwed up his eyes against it, panting a bit. The pain was a warning but he couldn't remember and he was sure it was this pain that had first made him black out. He lay still listening, his heart was thumping rapidly and beyond that he heard others breathing, some one was snoring _(Ron? Hermione?) _and it was then he registered he was lying under a thick blanket on a soft something.

He finally cracked an eyelid, the room was shadowed and without his glasses out of focus but he knew where he was. It was a room he had visited nearly every year he'd spent at Hogwarts, probably more than most other students… he sat up too quickly, his forehead was suddenly shot with fire. His eyes watered from the sudden influx of pain, pressing a hand to his burning scar he tossed the blankets off, he froze. He was undressed except for his underwear and a pair of robes which were open, he spotted his clothes folded neatly on the chair next to his bed and he tore through them- _it_ was gone. The wand he'd been using since Hermione had snapped Harry's in half was not in any of the pockets, only his glasses and the satchel Hagrid gave him for his last birthday.

He looked around and saw ranged in the other beds of the Hospital wing more lumpy shadows where four others were sleeping. Harry quietly pulled on his shirt, trousers and robes, he straightened up and crept close to the nearest sleeper. It was a woman, Harry hardly recognized her without her usual attire of numerous shawls, beads, rings, jewels and magnifying spectacles all of which was left in a precariously leaning pile on another chair. Professor Trelawney looked small, thin and Harry noted with relief who ever had undressed him (slight heat flooded his face at the thought) had left Trelawney in faded green robes with large stains around the creases of the armpits (it must, Harry reasoned get hot under all that junk she wore).

The next beds contained Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom (snoring) and lastly Draco Malfoy. His heart dropped, Ron and Hermione were not among them, he had to leave, these three would be safer here, purebloods. Feeling guilty Harry searched through the robes and things folded neatly on chairs beside each bed, there were no wands, who ever had found them had known to take any wands. Harry wondered who had found them and taken him here? His first thought was Snape, _headmaster _at Hogwarts now and the pricking burn in his scar made him want to leave all the more quickly.

A noise made Harry jump and automatically reach for his wand but his hand closed around nothing of course. In the doorway of the Hospital wing was a boy his own age with darker, longer hair and gray eyes, he looked very much like someone he'd seen before, but only in a photograph and this boy was younger… it couldn't be.

"Riddle said you were here, what happened? Did that git Snape do something?" Harry stared, he didn't know what the boy meant but the names Snape and Riddle could mean nothing good.

"No…I don't know… why did Riddle send you?" Harry asked.

"I hear something terrible happened and the train was forced to return, I tried looking in the common room but you weren't there- I saw Lily but she was crying and I was about to go out into Hogsmead and search the whole damn train when Riddle caught me." Before either of them could continue the doors sprang open again and in strode several more impossible people.

"Professor!" Harry couldn't stop himself from crying out.

Professor Dumbledore paused and glanced at Harry, his blue eyes traveling over his face with something like sadness. Behind Dumbledore a boy with equally black hair, thinness, features… the only differences were the scar Harry could feel burning and Harry knew, the green eyes Lily Potter had given him. James Potter's eyes were very red.

"I'm very sorry but I think Mr. Black you've gotten the wrong information, James has been with me… I think it would be better if he could tell you privately what has happened." Dumbledore spoke quickly, Sirius was dumbstruck and James stared openly at Harry.

"Who are you?" Sirius whirled around to face Harry.

"I'm quite interested myself," Dumbledore interjected, " I have heard from Professor Riddle that you have been signed to his guardianship by your relations?"

Harry couldn't answer, firstly because until this second he'd had no relations, no wizarding relations. Though he could imagine the Dursleys signing him over to dark wizards… but he was 17 now…. It was all making less and less sense. Dumbledore seemed to sense his discomfort and turned to James and Sirius, asked them to go and find Lily Evans who would be in similar distress. James jumped as though struck and turned without any word, Sirius followed reluctantly as they left.

"Can I ask your name?" Dumbledore asked after a moment.

Harry's stomach knotted, Dumbledore didn't know him… he wanted to run and hug the old man and beg him to help find Ron and Hermione, but He realized that they were probably not anywhere he could find. "Harry Hood, and these are Luna Kind, Neville Thorn, Draco (Harry resisted the urge to add "brainless git") Mud and that's er-"

"That is Professor Trelawney, I know her my dear boy," Dumbledore said more warmly, "my questions are many, but since Riddle is your caretaker I think it might be prudent to merely observe for now… I would like you to answer just one more."

"Do you like Lemon drops?" Harry stared, Dumbledore sighed and added, " Come along now, I promised Riddle I wouldn't deprive you of tonight's treat."

*8*


	3. Dealt the Devils hand

*8*

_Harry wondered how Dumbledore could know who Trelawney was but not who he, Harry was? James and Sirius, alive! Riddle, Professor Riddle, his guardian? Why was Lily, Lily Evans crying? It's me,_ Harry thought, _I'm the reason, it's because I'm here… why am I here?_

Tonight's treat it seemed was in the great hall, where Dumbledore steered him. They stopped just outside, voices drifting from inside were hushed and Harry wondered what "treat" could be inside with the students? Any treat Riddle was giving had to be unpleasant… but Dumbledore seemed fine with it. Assuming the younger Dumbledore had anything in common with his Dumbledore. Harry's forehead suddenly blistered hotly and he turned, descending the stairs opposite was a black robed man with skin so pale and features so skeletal it looked as though his black hair was a silky wig curling around his skull. This Harry knew was Tom Riddle.

Riddle approached slowly, his eyes roving slowly over Harry and casting a grimacing glance at Dumbledore.

"Well Tom- Professor Riddle," Dumbledore corrected at the spasm that crossed Riddle's face. "I've spoken to headmaster Dippet and he agrees that given the special circumstances it would be permissible for you to keep your adoptive son here during any holidays and summer months."

_Adoptive son?_ Riddle allowed a strained smile, "Thank you professor, being such a young and unseasoned teacher here I wasn't sure I could convince Old Dippet to grant me this. It's just that Hogwarts _is _my home and I haven't anywhere else to send a student in my sole care."

Dumbledore nodded then with a slight bow in Harry's direction said, " I leave you now, Professor Riddle can tell you the procedure." _Procedure?_ Dumbledore turned and disappeared into the great hall leaving the doors a ajar and Harry's heart plummeting.

Riddle glared after the old man before turning his attention again on Harry who mustered enough decorum to scowl back. Riddle smiled wider and then reached into a pocket, Harry reacted leaping away as Riddle drew out a wand. Riddle merely held it out in front of him, not pointing it at anything.

"So you are Harry Hood?" Riddle said raising an eyebrow. "Is that your true name?"

"Do you want to know my true name?" Riddle asked. Harry didn't answer, Riddle didn't care. "My true name is a secret I entrust only to my most loyal friends and Harry Hood I think you will find quickly I can count you among their number."

"I wouldn't." Harry said stiffly.

"I suppose not," Riddle answered with a note of amusement, "But I do have a task for you, it's easy, you can't screw it up."

He waited for a response but Harry merely watched the wand Riddle was twisting absently between his fingers. Riddle stopped and said, "I'll make it a deal then, when the stupid hat talks about the houses , it gives you a choice, it will try and persuade you one way but choose Slytherin and I'll give you your wand back."

"What about the others?" Harry demanded.

"All of them if you choose correctly." Riddle countered.

Harry thought quickly, He really didn't want to bargain with Tom Riddle but he needed his wand. He thought about James, Lily and Sirius all seeing him put in Slytherin and his throat tightened . He would rather have died than agree to being put in such a house, then he realized people might actually die if he didn't agree and he couldn't rely on Dumbledore for help. This realization made him feel sick and after a moment he met Riddles gaze.

"How can I be sure you aren't lying? Trying to make a fool out of me?" The argument was stupid but he needed to have some sort of guarantee.

"I wouldn't worry overmuch whether I'm telling lies or truths because very soon for you it will all count the same." Riddle turned and swept into the hall after Dumbledore, leaving Harry to think over the offer and that cryptic last statement.

*8*

Authors note : This is technically a split chapter, at some point later the theme of "Deals with the Devil" will reappear and we will discover who else is making deals with our Devil. I thought about putting the chapters one after another but it would be better to save it for later. Hint-Who would consign Harry to Voldemort's mercy?


	4. Theory of Relativity

*8*

Arigotou, Gracias, and the worlds thanks to my first reviewer, Katelynn. I like to think of fan fiction as sort of practice for learning style and story arcing, kind of how certain mangaka's started off in doujinshi, since I can't draw well enough to do that I'll try fan fiction.

Also in case I haven't figured out how to fix the previous chapters the names of our time trapped friends have been changed to **Harry Hood** (mysterious) , **Luna Kind **(she is unusually kind), **Neville Thorn **(he's good at herbology) and **Draco Mud** (his name is mud!)

*8*

Harry stood, listening to the sounds of the hall beyond and trying to come up with alternatives to doing what Riddle wanted. He though about making a break for the grounds gate, but with out the train or a broom he didn't know how to get out of Hogsmead. Again Dumbledore crossed his mind, but he had the distinct impression the old wizard didn't want to help him and something terrible had happened because of him. James and Lily were crying, who was injured? Killed? He'd messed with time by coming here- _like I wanted to be here- _he thought angrily.

The answer lie in how he and the others had gotten here and where "here" was in relation to how time had previously played out and how it had now changed. He couldn't leave, not really, he didn't know what kind of a world this was anymore and even less how to escape it- _if _he really wanted to escape now. James and Lily were here, he so badly wanted to see them but was terrified too, would they would hate him? He was the reason they were dead… but they wouldn't know, maybe never know if the past were changed.

How odd could it be to be around your parents and your baby self? _Very odd._ Harry's thoughts were pushed aside by a voice, someone in the great hall was speaking over the rest.

"Everyone," a cracking rasp called, " I know you are all suffering very much right now and wish to console each other, I will allow you to continue after dinner-" an angry bussing of protest met these words, the voice added, " Now I insist everyone eat something, I would be remiss in letting you starve. Tomorrow those of you with wizarding relatives should be ready and in the entrance hall by lunch, your relatives will have arrived to take you home."

Silence followed these words, the owner of the voice seemed reluctant to carry on but at some signal Harry couldn't see he said, " and those of you who are sadly entirely bereft are asked to remain with the staff at Hogwarts this holiday season until arrangements can be made with… the ministry."

More silence, then Harry hear someone else begin to speak, Dumbledore?

"I understand we have several new students, one of whom is waiting to be called in and distract us from our grief." Harry's heart jumped but he didn't move.

Then with out warning Harry felt a tugging on his wrists and navel, something like using a portkey and he was tugged gently closer toward the hall. _No_, Harry thought horrified. He felt his hand rise of it's own volition and rest against one of the doors, then like a mild electric shock shooting through him, his arm jerked and the door jumped open wider. He could see faces staring- glaring at him, there eyes and angry red and a number of them tear stained. He struggled, pulling back his hand with a terrific wrench and breathing hard, but his feet wouldn't obey and he was shoved forward, nearly tripping over his own feet into the great hall.

He was inside, and all of a sudden the shoving and tugging of invisible hands disappeared, he was free but not he knew instinctually to turn back. He turned away from the faces, not wanting to see the three he knew were among them, not when he was about to betray them again. _His fault_, he was the reason they had died and now he was going to be a source of further revulsion and shame.

"Please come," the voice of Riddle said, "don't worry there isn't any sort of test at Hogwarts, just slip on that hat and wait for it's decision, then go and sit at the appropriate table."

Harry looked up and met Riddle's gaze, he was smiling a smug sort of curl to the corners of his lips. Harry felt the breezy tug of the hands or manacles but before they could drag him he stepped forward and walked without their prompting. He reached the three-legged stool and lifted the hat by its point over his head, let it drop and heard it's buzzing, bee-like voice start-up in his ear.

"Harry Potter," Harry couldn't help a minute snort of amusement, "Yes, I'm the same hat that sorted you 7 years ago… I'm not quite sure you see, something's gone wrong and I ought not to be here, or me as I am now."

The hat seemed to be as confused as he was and he waited while It rambled, "… well it's beyond me and now I suspect you want to hear again whether you ought to be in Slytherin or Gryffindor?"

_No_, Harry thought, _I'm in the same fix you are and right now I need you to shout Slytherin._

"Slytherin? I thought you were utterly against the idea?"

_It doesn't matter anymore-_

"Doesn't matter? Perhaps not, after all one does what one does with out any thoughts for how it should be done, as a Slytherin or as a Gryffindor, It's really a matter about how one is more _likely _to do what they do."

_Yeah, right._ Harry agreed hoping the hat would get it over with.

"You are certainly certain?'

_Yeah or Yes._

"I look forward to the results of this- now

SLYTHERIN!!" the hat obligingly screamed.

There was no applause, a quickly stifled grumbling and as he pulled off the hat a half-hearted waving from a few Slytherins to help him, he supposed, unnecessarily find the correct table. He went and sat quickly, and risked a glance at the Gryffindor table. He regretted it instantly, Sirius was glaring directly at him and when he saw Harry looking turned to James beside him and pointed Harry out. James looked up and for the first time seemed to actually see Harry because he jerked slightly and his mouth popped open in an oh of horror. Harry forced himself to turn his head and stare ahead at the staff table, though he could feel James' and Sirius' eyes still boring into him.

"Are you related?" Harry turned and saw that his neighbor was a shorter, yellowier version of Sirius talking. The boy was a year younger and his wide grey eyes had an odd shiny quality to them, kind of manic.

"I mean to Potter, James Potter of that moronic bunch of unintelligent brutes disguised as do-gooders?" the boy added in response to the silence. Harry was shocked into further non-response by that little speech.

"I mean that- that it's nothing to worry about," the boy said quickly, obviously thinking he had offended Harry, "I've got a brother over there and it really doesn't matter, blood obviously counts for less-"

The boy stopped horrified by the words that had tumbled from his mouth, Harry smiled kindly and said, "I don't think I'm related and I certainly hope blood counts for nothing."

The boy stared, Harry wondered if he shouldn't have left out the blood thing… _well it's true, _he didn't feel much like making friends with any Slytherins. The boy recovered soon, "I can't say, but I'm Regulus Arcturus Black, Reg for short but Black is ok too ." he held out a hand to Harry.

Harry stopped himself from sighing or shaking his head, instead he took Regulus' hand and added, "I'm Harry J. Hood, Harry is fine."

*8*


	5. Whisper of the curse

*8*

The table had become magically filled with the usual Hogwarts fare. Harry was not disposed to eating, and it seemed most of the other students felt similarly. Some sat with arms crossed, glaring at their golden plates, others took helpings but ended up mashing and mixing them into inedible puddles and fewer ate sparingly.

He could feel Riddle watching, waiting-_ for what?,_ Harry thought furiously. It was not as though he was going anywhere, not yet and not until he could fix this…_how? He_ had to make Riddle tell him… _He doesn't want to kill me, he doesn't know who I am._ _I'm not fool enough to tell him._

The plates cleared ten minutes later, the old wizard Harry recognized as the headmaster before Dumbledore, stood and led everyone in a moment of very strained silence for "for those lost" which was broken by a sniffling here and there and two low wavering sobs. Harry felt acutely next to him Regulus shaking, and Harry wondered who "those lost" were… and felt guilty for not knowing.

Harry was grateful when they were told to head back to their dormitories, he waited and was one of the last out the doors and up the stairs when a shout made him turn. Below him were several Gryffindors, including James, Sirius and Remus and all of them (except maybe Remus) had cold expressions.

"What do you think you're doing? Snakes nest in the dungeons." Sirius called. James glared silently and a short figure further down giggled wildly, Harry saw what he'd missed, Wormtail hiding behind the three friends in case wands were drawn. He couldn't stop himself from shooting a look of derision at him that was caught by all of them.

"Don't," James spoke quietly, "think I won't mar that unusually good-looking mug right now or ever if you don't pay proper respect to Gryffindors and my friends-"

"Potter!" Harry and James both looked, Regulus was at the base with another black haired youth, who was baring his teeth. Harry knew him to be the young Severus Snape.

Severus seemed taken aback for a moment by Harry's visage but seemed to think attacking James was more important.

"If you and your filthy friends point a single wand at a Slytherin I'll curse you're mothers-"

"Good luck with that." James shouted bitterly. "Or maybe you haven't heard but there aren't very many parents left for you to curse!"

Severus smiled and said, "I _have _heard, can't live knowing the worlds two less fools worshipping you?"

Sirius and Remus both pulled out wands and Wormtail squealed scrambling between them, up the stairs, nearer Harry. Harry was stunned, the first words he exchanges with his father (alive) and James scorns him, even worse people- his grandparents are dead.

"Wait!" Harry cried, jumping down a few steps, raising his empty hands when James pointed his wand at him warningly. "I just needed to… to see Tom Riddle."

Everyone stared, this was not something one did ordinarily.

"Why?" James asked curiously, everyone including the two Slytherins waited.

" I forgot something," Harry said automatically.

Everyone seemed let down, Severus snorted and added, "See Potter? Don't presume to ask questions of a Slytherin, or is it now illegal to see our house head?"

" 'course not." Sirius quipped. "But I've always thought Riddle had a thing for boys, seeing how he collects five or six every year, always from Slytherin aren't they? What about you Sniv? Do you love Riddle too?"

"Two years, Black, two years. Or can't Gryffindor's count?"

"I'm tired." someone interrupted irritably. At the top of the stairs was a red haired girl, James dropped his wand quickly, Severus lowered his an inch and Harry nearly toppled over onto Remus.

The girl came down and stopped in front of Harry, she held out a wand and said, "Here, Professor Riddle told me to give it to the new student. It's _lucky _this lot here caught you or I might've had to search all night for the Slytherin entrance."

Harry felt even more struck than ever, here was Lily. He felt an icy coolness emanating from her. Maybe it wasn't him she was helping but his father, letting them all go away with out losing face and warning the him as to which side she was on.

"Thanks, thank you." Harry managed, taking the wand.

Sirius shoved past muttering, "what kind of substandard wizard loses his wand?" James, Remus and Wormtail followed. Harry watched until he remembered the two Slytherins waiting.

"Terrible way to treat family!" Regulus fumed.

"We're not- not related." Harry said.

"No?" Severus asked doubtfully.

"I don't _think_ so." Harry assured. Severus and Regulus looked unconvinced as they led the way down to the dungeon corridor that held a single torch bracket marking the Slytherin house entrance.

*8*

Harry was carefully keeping a step or two back, making it look as though he didn't know what to look for. When they arrived under the torch Harry waited, but when Severus made no move, Regulus seemed unwilling to do anything alone. Severus looked Harry fully in the face for the first time, and Harry felt certain that he was feeling the same revulsion Harry felt for him. This was the boy who grew into the man who would betray Lily and James to Voldemort and murder Dumbledore.

"Is there a password?" Harry prompted, Severus' dislike settled into something like the frown Harry was familiar with.

"Polyjuice," Regulus answered helpfully.

A hole grew in the wall large enough for two at a time to pass, Severus swept in first and disappeared into the boys dormitories.

"You'll be sleeping with Severus and the other seventh years, I'm in sixth, each year gets it's own dormitory." Regulus explained.

Harry wanted to stay down here and then sneak op to the hospital wing, but Regulus looked expectant for Harry to follow his directions.

"Good night!" Regulus called as the door shut.

The dorm was a large square with seven beds ranged around it, three were taken, Severus sitting crosslegged on one nearest the door, a book with no words on the cover or spine in his hands. He appeared to be reading avidly and Harry took the an unoccupied one furthest from him. Harry waited for Severus to fall asleep, but after awhile Harry felt a slight tug into unconsiousness.

*8*

He'd been trying very hard not to think of Voldemort, it was important not to think about him at that moment. He could see two things at once, Voldemort coming closer, his horrible white face flying towards him and the other was hundreds of corpses floating and pressing against him in the knee height water he stood in. Several of them had taken hold of his robes and were not letting go, his spells were ineffectual against them as they held him. They were all dead and all of them vengeful, eagerly holding him down.

The next thing he was aware of was waking up alone. The dormitory was empty, the candle Severus was using burnt down to a stub, he couldn't tell what time it was down here. There were no windows. He remembered violently the confrontation with James and Sirius, images and sounds of it mingled with a nightmare he'd had just before waking.

He shook himself of it, but couldn't supress the dread he had at facing another day here, surrounded by dead people who were at best unhelpful. He would not admit it, not to himself but he wanted very badly to be back with Ron and Hermione, hiding from death eaters and hunting horcruxes. _Horcruxes._

The word rang out clearly in his head, he waited but nothing more came. What were what horcruxes ?, something to do with Voldemort he knew. He had to find out, soon… but he would have to wait to start his research after Neville and Luna (Draco too he supposed) came around.

He found at the foot of his bed a trunk, very old and peeling gold lettering which spelled out the name T.M. R id l and some newer leaf which said H.J. Hood. There was a minute scroll resting on its lid, Harry snatched it up and read:

"_**Mister Hood we are honored that you have been received in the greatest and most illustrious of Hogwarts houses," **_Harry snorted. "_**you are perhaps unaware of the tragedies befalling a number of our students who are now for lack of a better term orphaned, the ministry is investigating the deaths and disappearances and until it's inquiry is complete I regard my guardianship of you with a serious nature and must impose these rules :You are forbidden from leaving the castle or grounds henceforth, you will answer immediately any letters or summons made by myself, head of Slytherin house and DADA Professor. You will not speak or seek out any teachers or staff with anything other than what pertains to their teaching subject. I look forward to seeing your progress. T.M. Riddle. "**_

Harry's hand shook as he crushed the letter and chucked it into the empty fire grate. He was 17 now, all age related magic stopped right? He couldn't understand what Riddle was playing at but something nagged at his memory…

Invisible hands shoving, dragging him until he had done what Riddle wanted willingly. It scared Harry, what sort of spell had been cast? Harry decided to test his theory today. He opened the trunk first, to see what Riddle had given him. It looked like new robes, spell and potion texts, and other regular school supplies. Wondering at the slight dissapointment he felt Harry pulled on a clean pair of robes and then made his way up to the entrance Hall alone.


	6. Remember to Lie

*8*

A/n- It's crazy, I'm crazy. Already I'm having alt time turned fictions pouring in…. I can guarantee at least one more making its way to fruition. For a visual on the "hands" Harry feels controlling him, I like to think of it as something like what the diclonious from Elfen Lied have, Riddles will is like their vectors, imagine them coming not from Riddle but Harry since the curse is internal.

*8*

The entrance hall's doors were thrown wide and in the bright noontime sun streaming in were a few scattered trunks and their owners sitting on or pacing next to them. Harry couldn't quite believe he'd slept through the whole morning, then again the lack of natural light and extreme tiredness must've had an effect. None of the students in the hall noticed him, too caught up in their emotions and thoughts and Harry supposed these must be the ones who still had family to take them in…

His first intention had been to defy Riddles orders, but then he remembered the others in the hospital wing and he wanted to make sure they were awake and ready for what might have to be done in order to escape alive. He climbed the stairs quickly, not wanting to run into any Gryffindors who might want a word.

His trip to the third floor was uninterrupted, once inside he saw with relief that Luna was sitting up, Neville was lying down but not from the looks of Madame Pomfrey hovering over him with her wand, very willingly. Draco had a suspiciously serene look on his face and when he saw Harry only the slight wrinkle of his brow gave note to any shock or anger.

"_Harry!" _Neville exclaimed peering over the wand under his nose. Luna jumped from her bed and flung herself at him, nearly knocking them both to the ground.

"You're alright then?" Harry asked seriously.

"Yeah." Neville nodded.

"Yes," Luna's head bobbed, "they left me alone mostly, it was poor Mr. Ollivander they wanted, I was just there so the could keep daddy from printing the truth about you and you-know-who and the war. It wasn't awful really, only dark."

Harry noticed Madame Pomfrey listening despite the fact that her back was to them, she had become very still in the act of pouring glasses of water on Neville's bedside table.

"I'm glad you guys are ok, listen I need to tell you guys something important- Mal- Draco too." He tried to put as much urgency into those words as possible, watching Madame Pomfrey dissappear into her office at the end of the ward.

"My wands gone Harry." Neville said grasping at the tint in Harry's voice.

"I've got one," Harry replied, producing the thin rod and pointing it at the office door added, "_muffliato_!"

"What's going on?" Neville asked, a curious darkening of the usually uncertain and light brown color of his eyes.

"I'm not sure but we shouldn't be here. None of us." Harry explained. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Taking Dobby's hand." Luna said, "like dissaperation I suppose, then I think we landed in a thorn bush or something, quite painful and then I blacked out."

"Yeah," Neville said fiercely, "I was sneaking down to the kitchens for some food- did you know the room of requirement doesn't have any food? So I had to get some for everyone who's been hiding from Snape and those death eaters pretending to be professors and I got caught by two of them. They tried using the cruciatus (Harry felt hatred course through him, _how dare they_?!), I blocked then I don't remember much because I caught my foot on that stair (the one I'm always tripping on, the trick one), I felt like I was falling for hours before crashing and darkness."

Harry tried to see a connection between the stories but other than blacking out there wasn't one. They looked expectant to hear his story but he had to hurry, towards the end of Neville's tale he'd felt a small twinge in his scar. He looked at Malfoy, he wasn't sure how to explain well enough to keep him from betraying the lot of them to Riddle… but he remembered how Draco had acted when he was at the manor… he hadn't betrayed Harry then.

"I blacked out too," He said abruptly, "I woke up here too and something's gone wrong (or right… if he could just remember everything), I ran right into Dumbeldore."

He waited out their cries of astonishment and disbelief before finishing, "exactly and there's more, others who are- aren't not dead (he hoped they got that, Luna seemed further away than usual and Neville's eyes were wide). They've already seen us and that's supposed to be bad, now I'm Harry Hood and you two are Neville Thorn and Luna Kind, he's Mud (he gestured at Malfoy)."

"How'd you get your wand back?" Luna asked.

Harry had been dreading this line of questioning, "Voldemort's here." he said quickly. All of them, even Malfoy jumped a little. "He's a professor, teaching _DADA _of all classes and everyone seems to think he's great, even Dumbledore. We have to keep quite, pretend to know nothing until I or we (he added in response to Neville's scowl) find out what's happened and how to fix it."

Neville and Luna looked scared for the first time, and Harry could feel the burning in his scar heighten. "Remember to lie." He said as the handle on the ward door turned.

*8*

Harry briefly questioned why with Riddle inside the castle his scar hadn't hurt again until he was nearly inside the room with him? Then the dread thing himself stepped forward, accompanied by Severus, Regulus and two more students Harry didn't recognize, though one had a Gryffindor emblem on his robes which made Harry more wary.

"Good you're here," Riddle said jovially. "and headmaster Dippet will be entirely relieved to see our new students recovered from their …journeys."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Riddle, both against the pain making him break out in cold sweat and in confirmation of his suspicion, _he knows_. He was going to play with them, this more than anything made him want to try out an unforgivable on Riddle right now but with Neville here he forced his anger down and managed to keep his face clear of this silent desire.

"If any of you feels well enough, the headmaster has requested you come down to dinner, where like our friend Harry you can be sorted into one of the Hogwarts houses- I can't promise you that you'll end up lucky like Harry and in Slytherin," Harry felt the shock roll through the room and couldn't bear looking round to see their expressions. "but I'm sure Frank ( Harry looked swiftly at the tall Gryffindor) can attest to whatever qualities his house has."

Harry was certain Riddle couldn't have known entirely the impact of everything he'd said, he was merely glorying in having humiliated Harry in front of friends. Neville's cheeks were flushed a brilliant pink, his hands clenched in fists and it looked as if he might've forgotten how to breathe (Harry could relate).

Now that Harry looked he could see how the Gryffindor was familiar, he was taller, pinker, unlined and fuller in the face than the Frank Longbottom he'd seen at 's in fifth year and he stood with an uncertain hunch Harry could recall Neville having up until that same year.

Harry realized that Neville's odd behavior would be seen if he didn't keep Riddle at least occupied. Much as he loathed coming under that red tinted gaze, "I found your letter earlier, I… and I have some things I'd like to go over with you."

_Success._ Harry thought unhappily as he felt everyone's eyes shift to him, Riddle recovered quickly and smiled, a strangely fixed and grimacing smile which made Harry sure he would be very sorry very soon.

"Of course, you may ask me anything you like- at the appropriate time of course." Riddle said, "I think we ought to take your friends down to be sorted first, it's only a few minutes till sunset."

Harry was startled to see that so much time had passed, the sun was a blinding white disk hovering above the tips of the forbidden forests tree tops.

"Frank is headboy here at Hogwarts and has agreed that after dinner he and the remaining students can give you a crash tour of Hogwarts, and he is also in possession of letters written by the heads of the other houses for students sorted into their houses while they are on holiday."

Riddle's voice held a note of spleen as he explained that the other heads had thought Frank a worthy messenger. Harry thought it very wise of them, giving them to Dippet would've guaranteed them coming under the examining eyes of Riddle and skipping Dumbeldore was simply a way of keeping the snub from being overt.

"Are you ready?" Frank asked politely.

"Yes," Luna answer then gestured at Malfoy. "I don't think he is though."

Madame Pomfrey suddenly appeared bustling across the ward, carrying in her hand a potion bottle. "I'm afraid he was the first one up today but he was in a terrible state, shouting for his mother and father and tried waking Miss Kind up, I had to give him a calming draught." She bent down and taking one of the water glasses she'd filled earlier, poured several drops of greenish potion into it.

"Here,"she helped Malfoy tip the glass into his mouth, he drank thirstily then burped softly. Slowly consciosness dawned on his face, he stared at Harry who was trying to silently warn him.

"Now, Mr. Mud," Madame Pomfrey spoke sternly, "You need to go with the others and everyone here is instructed to eat at least two helpings of something sweet to keep you from fainting and ending up back here."

Draco ignored her and looked wide eyed from Harry to Riddle, Harry knew he must've seen more of Voldemort in the last months than anyone else and despite the youth, hair and harsh beauty must recognize the dark lord before him. Madame Pomfrey rested her wrist against his pale forehead, Draco jerked away from the contact.

"Yes, Alright." He snapped, rising. "Am I going to have to change with an audience?"

Madame Pomfrey raised her wand and three curtains flew from her office and attached themselves around the three beds, giving them privacy as they changed. Harry couldn't suppress a remote sense of appreciation for the bravado (or arrogance) Draco had just shown.

*8*


	7. Who's afraid?

A/n I once heard or read (more than likely read) a theory or story about why moths and other insects are attracted to bright and hot things, flames and lights. They explained that it's not the blinding light or heat they're after but an illusion, an illusion of greater and blacker darkness beyond the brightness.

When I think of the relationship between Harry and Riddle it's kind of the same, Riddle is trying to break through that barrier of light and draw out the darkness. The 'dark' being an attractive and powerful desire. If it is an Illusion.

*8*

"Gryffindor." The hats declaration was met with some charitable applause, Luna swept the hat off and pressed it at Draco who looked distinctly disheveled and unwell.

"Slytherin!" Draco shakily came to sit near Harry, he closed his eyes and ignored the greetings from the Slytherins. Lastly the hat yelled out "Gryffindor!" for Neville, the lions mustering up a small cheer.

"That's two and two!" someone shouted, "No advantages there."

"Hmph." Harry looked up, Severus was glowering at the Gryffindor table where Neville received several kisses on his brightly pink cheeks. A jolt shot Harry in the stomach as he saw one of the affectionate girls was Lily, he tried to reason that it was hardly Neville's doing. He couldn't begrudge him time and friendship with Frank and Alice who were queued up to meet him, people Neville'd only known as ghosts at 's but good will melted quickly beneath the waves of hot jealousy.

Luna shook a few hands but the clamor around her died down quickly, her oddness probably accounting for the looks people were exchanging around her. She looked happily around, catching Harry's eye and waving. Harry's mood lightened with that exchange, he wondered where Luna's parents were… Mr. Lovegood was surely already graduated but her mum…?

He turned an eye over to the Ravenclaw table. There seven remaining, four females and three males and all staring at the various displays from Gryffindor and Slytherin over the new arrivals with unsmiling boredom. None of the girls looked like they had Luna's air of dreamy thoughtfulness, no one had her hair or eyes either. Perhaps she'd graduated too.

Disappointed he returned his gaze to those nearer and dearer him and was taken aback by the apparition of Luna beside him.

"What do you want?" Severus demanded, eyeing her with dislike.

"I want Harry to come and sit with us." Luna gestured to the Gryffindors who were watching with looks ranging from shock and horror to disgust and disapproval.

"There is a reason the hat's sorted you over there and not here."

"Harry and I were friends before the hat's sorted us." Luna said with a serene smile.

"Exactly," Draco spoke suddenly, "how did a half-bred mud-blood lover like you end up here?"

Draco was sweaty and pale, insulting Harry seemed to bring vitality back into him. Harry made sure Draco saw the filthy glare intended for him before answering, "I took someone's advice."

Draco was silent, brow knitted as he tried to understand, "He wouldn't have you!"

"Who's going to tell him that? You?"

Severus looked angrier by the syllable as the implications of the conversation eluded him. Who was "him" and how did these neophytes already grasp the extreme division between this house and others? Luna was entirely unaffected as she twisted a lock of Harry's hair (he failed to notice) into a minute braid.

Harry was not sure why he was talking like Voldemort had done anything other than screw his life up worse at every turn, but it was necessary for Draco to get that things were dangerously and unknowingly different from just a day ago. It was something beyond people previously dead or damaged suddenly at Hogwarts living lives as yet unchanged by Voldemort's darkness… This wasn't the past exactly. Exactly?

"Finally got tired of playing with Granger? What about Weasley, they aren't here? I can see how Neville and Looney might seem like an improvement, (being purebloods) but if your looking for quality…" Draco sounded like a double-talking car salesman… or uncle Vernon.

"God, do you ever shut up?" Harry wondered how the hell Draco had gotten into that train of thought. "Something happened and you haven't any friends here or haven't you noticed?"

Draco seemed abashed for a moment, he was scared and relying on a Potter, Longbottom and (worse) a Looney was no good. He had half wanted to hear Potter had come around, it might've meant allies among Riddle and the Slytherins. He watched with mounting panic as Potter stood and let Looney guide him toward the blood-traitors den.

*8*8*8*

"Shouldn't we invite Draco?" Luna asked as the left.

"Nope." Harry felt tired, "The git needs to get it that we're not at school anymore-or well not like it was, this is _serious_." Luna nodded.

"Talkin' 'bout me?" Harry hadn't noticed how close they were to James, Sirius and Peter. It was Sirius who'd spoke, giving Harry a toothy grin that did not look inviting.

"I- eh- no-"

"That's funny." Luna laughed, "Sirius and _Serious, _I'd never noticed before!"

Sirius stared at her, clearly deciding not to pursue the matter he turned back to Harry. "Had a falling out with your comrades?"

"No, not a friend."

"Boyfriend?" all three marauders sniggered. Harry couldn't help the angry flush that broke across his cheeks which seemed to make their joke funnier.

"Hey!?" Lily had leaned around another student and gave James a reproachful frown. "Really? He hasn't so much as spoken three words!"

"Right," Sirius immediately straightened his face and leaned across the table in order to ask, "What's your name again?"

"Harry…Hood."

"Hood? Not Potter?" Lily asked, James scowled. "You're not related to James?"

"I've never had any Slytherins in my family." James said flatly. "Lucky" Sirius muttered darkly.

"I don't know," Harry hedged, "My parents were pure-blood and-

"Don't think that makes you special." James and Sirius yelled.

"-and muggle-born."

"And I don't think I'm special at all."

"Why not?" Sirius demanded, " A half-blood Slytherin who actually talks about his family, you want a medal?"

"It's refreshing!" James chimed and Peter chortled beside him.

Harry kept silent until their amusement dried up, the words were heavy and painful but nothing he was unused to dodging before (Rita Skeeter's stuff had been much worse). When even Peter had stopped laughing the three Marauders took to ignoring him, a development he was strangely glad of… strange how his life as tabloid fodder and the Dursleys unwanted luggage had made even the silent treatment from the people he most desired comfort and acceptance from tolerable.

"Don't." Lily groaned, one hand covering her mouth and nose and the other pushing aside a dish of shepherds pie James had proffered.

The steam risen from it laden with the scent of gravy drowned beef and carrots making her stomach twist uncomfortably and a bitter taste rise in the back of her throat. It had been since yesterday, after the train returned to Hogwarts that anything she'd usually enjoyed was making her feel sickly. She supposed it was grief messing with her… she hadn't yet thought about it not since the first moments back at school…horrible guilt and fear crushing against her… Was it her fault? Petunia was missing and all she could do was sit on her hands waiting for some fully qualified witch or wizard to get around to investigating the non-magic cases… She really felt sick now.

Not least because her abandoned pie had been snatched up by Peter who had shoveled in several bites with out a breath or chew in between. Dark gravy oozed like blood from the corners of his mouth, Sirius and James looked unfazed by this but Lily's apparent disgust made James slap Peter across the back. Peter choked his mouth falling open and gobs of saliva laden pie spayed Harry, Luna and two more students besides. Lily gasped and covered her eyes.

"Oh! I'm gone." She half screamed running for the exit, laughter and James trailing her.

"Poor Pete." Sirius said smothering his own amusement and hauling his sweaty and very red friend up by grasping him under his arm pit and half dragging him out after James and Lily.

*8*

"That's less for the tour." Frank Longbottom shook his head, "And those three could really have used some side-tracking."

"What exactly has happened?" Harry asked suddenly, Frank looked away and uncomfortable then said in a hushed way, "Well it's not good, as the headmaster said last night many people and well muggles too (Harry noticed the distinction) have disappeared and a few were found dead, very odd deaths and this all happened in a single day."

"And nothing's been done?" Harry demanded.

Frank gave Harry a reproving look before answering, "The ministry's (Harry couldn't help an exasperated sigh at this) looking into it all, everyone who's still here has no where else to go, was staying on for the holiday already or has been sent back under an order of protection by the ministry- like you, Neville, Luna and the other one."

_Order of Protection_? Was this what Riddle was on about? Who would or could order Voldemort into not killing Harry on the spot? How much of this was a happy accident that with his most desired victim had dropped on his doorstep (something Harry was unhappily familiar with(being dropped on doorsteps)) and Voldemort would choose merely to cast an ageless or whatever it was spell? Right on cue his scar began too prickle, unconsciously he pressed his palm to it.

"Are you alright?" Frank asked concernedly. Harry quickly dropped his hand and said, "Yes, I'm fine."

"We can reschedule the tour if you want?:

"No, we can do the tour…" Harry didn't care either way, but he didn't want to look like he was purposely following James and Lily to the hospital wing… it looked bad already and his scar wasn't making him ill.

*8*

Luna held Harry's hand as Frank led the tour down into the basement room where behind one of the hundreds of oil paintings lie the secret entrance into the kitchens. Harry ignored the looks, it was odd and he wouldn't have minded _not_ holding hands but Luna had been prisoner for weeks and if she wanted some token of greater friendship? _It's hardly their business_. _Still…_

"There's a rumor about a secret door in here," Frank was telling the four first years, "The room was given to a woman who had an obsession with muggle paintings, they're called 'still-life' and really don't move!"

Darkness. Several people screamed as the torches went out, Older students laughed nervously.

The air seemed to have chilled in the absence of torches, everyone huddled together, muttering and murmuring. Somebody's joke? Suddenly the screaming began again, Harry pointed his wand but no one had moved, their breath rising in misty tendrils… _it can't be…_

The screams inside his head were erupting in echoes around him as everyone else saw what he had suspected. Tall, Thin and shrouded in tattered hooded robes, a Dementor glided towards them. Even past the screaming enveloping him he could still make out it's death rattle breathing sucking happiness and warmth from the air.

"MOVE!" someone cried. Harry shoved Luna into the mass of bodies clogging the stair well and made to face the thing.

He closed his eyes, knowing he would feel it before it ever came close enough to perform it's filthy soul-sucking kiss. Concentrating through the heart crushing screams of memory was near impossible… _especially when some panicking dolt knocks into you! _Harry opened his eyes, Draco Malfoy had tried climbing over other students and was sent reeling into Harry by some other panic stricken persons' spell.

"EXECTO PATRONUM!"Harry shouted, praying. _Damn Draco…_ the incantation failed, but the Dementor seemed affected anyway and sank into the floor.

"AARRGHH!"

Something had risen next to Draco, something nearly as tall and thin, but it's face was unhooded.

"Vampire!" shouted the few who hadn't gone with the first wave of escapees.

Harry couldn't hear over the renewed shouting but his heart had leapt into his throat stopping him from uttering any useful spells. _Voldemort_ had appeared. The Voldemort Harry had spent the last months dodging. He could run… should run… _can't_

Whatever Voldemort was saying had Draco cowering on the floor. Gripping his wand he made a dive for the shrunken figure of Malfoy, Voldemort turned toward Harry raised his wand and shouted, _"DIE, POTTER." _

It wasn't a spell and Harry didn't die as he wrenched Malfoy up by the neck of his robes and drug him up into the stair well before Voldemort could realize his mistake. Once up the stairs Harry turned and managed to cough out a single spell. "Colloportus!"

The entry way was sealed, for the moment.

He paused, thinking fast… it would do no good to run and hide when he Voldemort could probably break into the Slytherin quarters no problem. He looked at Draco who was pale and looked in no condition to make it anywhere on his own, cursing silently his luck he pulled Draco along till they reached the entrance Hall. The doors to the grounds were ajar… but he had no more time to plan because there came a strange rending noise- the ward had failed.

*8*

"Move aside Pete!" Sirius barked.

"Here," James sighed, reciting the reverse incantation for the blocked staircase. Peter was momentarily incapitated by the ugly white-face man that kep raising his wand and shouting "Die, Traitor!"

Nothing happened as it had been with Harry. "Go away!" Sirius snapped at the man who turned his wand on him. "Fine, _Ridikulus!"_

Voldemort vanished replaced instead by coiled garden snake which they all ignored.

"Vampires?" James asked Peter who shrugged. The climbed the stairs slowly congratulating themselves on a prank well played.

"Do vampires get wands?" Sirius asked.

"No, it's illegal." James grinned, " 'spose that'd be scary though, blood-fiend with a wand?"

"Should we really leave the boggart?"

"Sure, keep undesirables from breaking into the kitchens, you know like a public service?"

They laughed again. "hurry, the moons out!"

*8*


	8. Glass alley

_*_8*

Hauling Malfoy by the front of his robes he leapt down the last steps to the grounds, then hooked a sharp left toward the herbology greenhouses. It would be highly unwise to have run straight into the open where a spell from a window or distance could strike with as much strength as if they stood inches apart.

Harry ducked into the little alley between greenhouses three and four, letting Draco go and sinking against the glass wall. The cool glass made him shiver, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his brow- Harry realized that the his scar had not hurt. It didn't make sense, even with Riddle his scar would twinge.

The Dementor had felt real enough…

"It wasn't him?" Draco said hoarsely.

"No."

"I-he spoke to me, said he'd kill my mother if… if I didn't…"

Harry was sorry for the boy in front of him, this was the most he'd heard Draco reveal about what he'd endured for fear of Voldemort harming his family, the most since that night on the north tower. Harry forced his thoughts away from that. It was almost more painful than the memories recently refreshed of his mothers screams, because of them he understood the desperation in Draco's voice.

"It's not him." Harry rubbed his scar, he was certain.

"If he's not here…" Draco said slowly, something dawning. "god…"

"What?" Harry demanded as Draco covered his eyes with a hand, looking entirely unnervingly woebegone.

"He must still be at home." and at Harry incomprehension, "WITH MY MOTHER!"

*8*

"…MOTHER…"

Pricking up his ears a great misshapen creature paused in the act of gnawing it's own paw, of cleaning debris from between it's enormously clawed toes. The hairs along it's spine bristled as it snorted, scenting warmth, sweat and great red hearts flushed with blood. 

_*8*_

Sirius stopped cold as they rounded the corner into the entrance hall and sighted the doors ajar, the candle stands left flameless by the wind whispering in.

"Someone's got out!" Peter cried waveringly.

"They'll be dead or worse." Sirius said darkly.

"Worse?" James repeated. He knew Sirius had meant themselves, if whoever had gone out on a full moon was not already dead then they might as well be when the Marauders explained to them the value of staying indoors.

A howling erupted much nearer the castle than they had counted on, time was not on their side as they sprinted for the grounds. Peter keeping a calculated distance behind his friends as they vanished into the night air, becoming at first indistinct as figures shrouded in mist and in an instant retransformed.

James leading in great bounding leaps as an antlered stag, Sirius tailing with the thumping pad-falls of a long-fanged dog and Peter's darting shadow, a rat barely taller than the grass.

*8*

Trapped in an alley of glass walls he stumbled backwards, hitting the hard-packed soil beneath as the beast leapt over him and struck an immobile Malfoy. Lights burst across Harry's vision as he heard with detached horror the sounds of Draco's mauling.

"GOD…_MOTHER_…AARGGGHHH", Draco's screams mingled with bellowing howls.

Harry rolled with an effort against the sick feeling in his stomach and the web of pain across his skull, on his belly. Swiping his wand blindly through the air toward the sounds he whispered, "_Levicorpus!_"

Harry's vision returned and he could see that the only spell that had come to mind had worked- to an extent. Malfoy was lifted about six feet above the roof of a greenhouse, out of reach and harm of the beasts wild leaping. It's teeth gnashing a foot short of Draco's dangling limbs.

Crashing backwards onto the ground next to Harry after another jump the beast frothed at the mouth, it's hot breath burning Harry's eyes. It's rolling mad eyes gleamed even in the darkness, and were suddenly fixed on a new thing.

Cursing Harry crawled away from it as it rolled itself back into a position to attack. Harry sat up and aimed his wand but the beast dodged the stunner with an ease strange on such a large and irregular shape.

Paws crushed Harry backwards onto his back again, sharp claws digging into his robes, threatening to tear into the skin beneath if he struggled. Having pinned him the beast took it's time, a cold wet nose pressing into his ear when Harry tuned his face to protect his eyes from the saber like fangs. Smelling him, it reached the area where his pulse pounded in his neck.

Harry felt it gingerly nuzzle the spot, regaining his breath Harry twisted his wand into position under the beasts eye and managed, _"Langlock."_

Another stupid spell with unexpected results. The beast opened it's fanged mouth, but instead of clamping down on it's victim, a hacking coughing sprayed Harry with acid-like slobber, it backed off of him, into the glass wall.

Harry watched for a moment in interest, as it tried to regain use of it's maw. It whined and shook it's monstrous head, trying to dislodge it's tongue which had been cemented to the roof of it's mouth. Suddenly it reared and unleashed a smothered howl, then decided Harry could be dispatched even with out it's favorite weapons.

Another noise reached Harry from behind, he dared not look but the animals eyes stared past him and it leapt backwards away from Harry. Over head two shadows cleared the height of Harry easily.

**8**

A/n Below are lyrics from an AFI song, which is not my song, band, name, recording, ect. I don't own nor make money from any part of AFI or it's music/lyrics. All homage, love and enchantment belong to AFI .

**"I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here"**

Before you came what was your name? Did you look like me?

No one's from here, no one my dear, not even the trees

change your name, just keep your face. We're temporary anyway

you came we played this game in our masquerade.

Flash, Flash, Car Crash

we're no fixtures

Quick, now, Quick take our picture!

What was your past?

When was the last time that you recall someone you knew was someone who asked nothing of you?

So lose your past.

I

'm sure you'll find it's in the way all of the time

before you're through you're someone who looks a lot like you.

We can't remember the seasons

We chant in the manmade snow

We can't recall the feelings that we cannot show

A/n I can imagine many different characters asking these things about Harry and company.

*8*


	9. Cry Wolf part 1

*8*

Landing lithely in the place where seconds ago an enormous dog-like creature had contemplated slicing Harry into ribbons with it's claws were two slightly smaller but equally enthralling creatures.

Harry couldn't breathe as the two animagus (he knew) ignored him, the stag lowered his antlers in perfect imitation to how Harry had seen his Patronus behave. Harry forgot for a moment that this was not his favorite spells enchantment and that there was a great danger in approaching, but he came nearer and made to stroke the stag.

A growling reminded Harry this was not his father, or a father that could recognize him yet and he froze mid-reach. The warning had been issued by the grim dog whose toothy-grin was present even on his canine visage, a very threatening leery grin full of jagged fangs.

Making sure Harry backed off the dog returned its gaze to the wolf-beast, he stopped growling and began a sort of urgent whining. The beast looked a the dog with a curious expression, despite being wild and blood-lusting. It responded in kind with a snort and snuffling whine.

The stag became very still, holding its position behind the dog as it went forward and nudged the wolf under its jaw. Harry wondered if it could work, the last time he'd faced a wild werewolf…

With the wolf distracted Harry raised his wand to a patch of it's chest visible between the stag and the dog between them.

"_Stupe-_" the spell had barely formed on his lips when a sharp pointed hoof on the end of a long slender limb buried itself into his own chest, sending him sprawling back into the dirt again.

The dog had abandoned its negotiation, now it came leaping and landing on Harry who in a night of déjà vu found himself pinned just as before. Though the dog , not being wild and possessing a human intelligence and nature had a paw firmly pressed on Harry's wand hand.

Harry could lift his head and between the dog's legs glimpsed the stag shaking its antlers at the wolf. The wolf barked and growled, trying to weave it's way under the stag toward Harry.

It lunged but was caught against the antlers and tossed into the air, spinning into the side of the alley. The glass shattered, shards slicing into the wolfs fur, veins burst with such energy, blood flying onto the three figures opposite and even staining Draco above.

The wolf screamed, not a howl but a terrible high noise as it scrambled up and shook more blood from its fur. The dog whined and strained to see around it's bulky shoulders but kept it's paws in place, preventing Harry any useful movement. The stag kicked the wolf as it made to return, a hoof into the shoulder sending it crashing snout first into the dirt.

Harried the wolf turned and ran down the remains of the alley, vanishing as the stag cantered after it, head brought low in case of a return.

The dog remained still, listening to the sounds of retreating things. A minute passed before it leapt deftly backwards off of Harry, it watched with dull eyes as Harry sat up. When Harry tested his wand hand, it gnashed it's teeth, Harry understood.

"_Liberacorpus_."

Draco's body twisted unpleasantly in midair before dropping like a hanged man being cut down from the noose. Panicking Harry cried, _"Mobilicorpus_!"

The body was stilled an inch and a half from impact with the ground, Harry lowered his wand and with it the body. Harry looked around but, the dog was gone and with it the noise of the wolf and stag. He half wanted to run after them, to see his father as the flesh and blood thing he'd only glimpsed before as a Patronus.

Sighing he wondered how the glass and gore would be explained in the morning? He had never repaired anything and couldn't get rid of the broken glass or the red soaked into the dirt (could you clean _dirt_ anyway?).

Now he came to Draco, he looked terrible, cuts striped his white face and the wolfs blood shone on his robes. Though unconscious Draco's ragged intake of breath worried Harry, he would have to risk the hospital wing. When he tried to lift him however, Draco's chest in places seemed to give in.

The bones were shattered, mostly on the left and his breathing was becoming more strangely sob-like. Gasping in his sleep, Draco looked really bad. Even in the half shade beginning to fill the alley as the moon drifted, Harry could see the cuts were beginning to bruise around the edges.

With a wolf running around, probably in a large amount of pain and a vengeful mind, Harry couldn't risk leaving Draco here and waiting it out seemed just as much a folly. Hoisting Draco was difficult, not heavy like Dudley but awkwardly he dragged him out of the alley.

The moonlight made it easy to see if anyone or anything had been attracted by the commotion, nothing moved except the grass in the breeze. After another half-minute's struggle Harry could feel the place were the stags hoof had cut into him bleeding, leaking out in time to his pulse which was beginning to race.

He stumbled, dropped Draco, every step taken seemed to increase the weight of the body. The air seemed to have become moist and warm, his hair slick with the sweat that clung to his skin and hair, mingling with the drying wolfs blood. Harry quickly wiped his face clean, brushing aside his bangs and made to start moving again-

"Isn't It funny?"

Harry spun around, behind him was the smirking Severus Snape.

"What are you doing?"

"I should ask you." Snape sneered.

"Yeah?" Harry was short of breath, "Well… never mind, just help me with him."

Severus laughed, "Why should I touch him? I don't want to develop an allergy."

"Allergic to not being scum?" Harry panted, the insult didn't sound nearly as good between halting intakes of air. Severus snapped, "There's a tale you'll be interested in about a beast the lurks in the forest on full moons and you reek of it's blood!"

Harry froze, the moon that shone indifferently on the scene in the alley now had them in the shelterless gap between here and the castle.

"You…You aren't afraid?" Harry asked, feeling the bubble of panic rise in him.

"No, after you two the thing will be kept well away by it's friends," Severus spoke cautiously.

"I need to get him inside," Harry tried again.

Severus pointed his wand, Harry lifted his and Severus sighed. "Idiot, I don't want to touch either of you. I have to use a spell, though it's a wonder a seventh year can't perform a hover charm."

Ignoring the last bit, "Did you follow us?"

"No, not you." Severus answered no more questions as he floated Draco ahead of them.

*8*

Inside the great hall students were being herded by pajama clad professors, something had happened and everyone was being stripped of their wands. Those who'd left theirs behind earning extra sharp words of abuse from their bedraggled professors.

The entrance hall was clear and Harry did not really feel like making another of his famous appearances covered in blood. Severus held up a hand and Draco came to a halt in air, Severus slipped wordlessly into the hall beyond.

Severus took so long , Harry listened in frustration and he was amazed a werewolf would cause this… it had been frightening but he was the one who'd gone into it's territory_. If you stayed inside then what was the problem_? He thought, wanting to protect the Marauders.

His legs felt numb, staying upright suddenly seemed like an enormous effort, gravity fighting him. Exhausted as he was the panic bubble burst when his scar burned and in the same instant the doors opened and out came a line of students followed by Riddle.

Eyes heavy from tiredness flew wide, faces set with irritation fell into open-mouthed amazement. Taking in Harry's torn robes, sweaty and bloodied along side a body. Harry felt like a 2nd year again, his case worsening with the discovery of Justin Finch-Fletchly and Nearly Headless Nick (floating) next to him.

"It seems," Riddle said coolly, "That you will have to continue your return to the dormitories with out an escort, can you all be trusted to wait for your housemates' return?"

No one answered, all struck silent. Riddle ignored them for the moment and continued to gaze at Harry appraisingly, "Hand over your wand, Mister Hood."

"No, not to you." Harry spoke in as normal tone as he could surrounded as he was with witnesses. Riddle smiled, in a movement so quick Harry barely had time to react and close his fist around his wand as it was jerked invisibly out of his fingers. Swearing Harry leapt after it, the wand arcing away from him and into Riddle's outstretched hand.

"My, My." Riddle said in amused mock-shock. "Such unseemly language from my own house, I suppose ten points ought to be taken?"

The students smirked and Harry noticed for the first time that they were all Slytherin. Riddle pointed at him with Harry's own wand, and with a jerk of the head indicated the students to move, three stepped forward and took hold of Draco tugging the body down into the subterranean dungeon corridors.

"Come along now," Riddle continued after Harry's stillness. "Let's talk."

He felt the ghost of the vice-like hands on his wrists, he would have no other recourse but to follow.

*8*

The deeper they traveled the colder it became as Harry trekked after Riddle who did not turn to be sure his spell or whatever it was succeeded. Harry hated the sensation and jogged to keep the hands from touching him, if he performed the task with enough speed and accuracy they loosened, a dog whose walker has dropped the leash.

Inside an unused classroom the Slytherins dumped Draco in the middle, with as much care as a bowling ball would need. They pulled back into the darkened edges of the room, nearly vanishing with their black robes, only their pale faces hovering at varying heights marking their places. Riddle waited just inside the doorway as Harry came in, then shut and sealed the heavy lead door.

Harry stood next to Draco, his sense of panic rising again, nearly bursting as Riddle performed the same spells Hermione would have to keep their campsite safe from undesireable company. Unsurprisingly Riddle's incantations failed in bringing any measure of calm and assurance to Harry.

Turning to Harry, "I believe it's time for you and I to establish just what exactly the rules are to this little game? Wouldn't you say?"

*8*


	10. Cry Wolf part 2

Riddle came very close, his face oddly waxen with barely suppressible rage. Harry took a step back to put some distance between them, frightened about what Riddle meant to do.

"What happened?" Riddle demanded.

"When?" Harry asked, playing for time.

"Outside," Riddle's teeth clenched. "What were you doing _outside_!"

Harry deliberated what the merits of telling mostly the truth were? That a shape-shifting Dementor/Vampire had crashed the tour…. His search for a more inspirational lie was interrupted by Riddle.

Closing the distance, Riddle snatched up Harry's hand and held it so the back of the palm hovered at eye level. Needling hot pain erupted along his arm, paralyzing him like a jolt of electricity, unable to pull away he bit back the shout in his throat.

"I found as I was examining your unconscious body," Harry felt a heat separate from the pain coursing through him rise in his face. "That you have scars and eyes which reveal you are not merely the misplaced carbon copy of James Potter."

Dropping the hand Riddle flexed his own fingers, glancing at them as if he too had felt a measure of the fire still boiling over Harry. Riddle twisted his wand and the white scars suddenly stung and bled freshly, _I must not tell lies._

"I advise against falling into old habits."

Angrily Harry drew back, wincing. "How is it that you can order me around!"

A burst of hissing from the gathered Slytherin's was silenced with a look from Riddle, turning to Harry with small smile like lightning to the storm at hand.

"How?" He repeated happily, "Come closer."

Harry was incensed by this response, then he felt them encircling his wrists, waist and ankles, all dragging at him. He stumbled forward, landing hard on one knee. It was enough, he could feel the fingers loosening,he glared up.

"Ha!" Riddle mocked, "_How? Magic!"_

"None can disobey Lord Voldemort, that _Harry_ is my true name."

He bent down, savoring whatever impression these words made. "Now, I think with the right conditions I shall have what I seek."

Straightening he pointed his wand to the left of Harry's head, Harry dove to the side to avoid the curse. It struck instead the prone shadow of Malfoy on the ground, nothing happened, Harry wondered if this Riddle was perhaps the boggarts rather good imitation.

"Awake?" Riddle asked. In answer a pained and drawn groan.

Malfoy took a frightened glance upward, the sight made him draw up on all fours and his arms and knees shaking as he shuffled backwards a few inches. He daren't look again.

"I am wondering why," Riddle spoke soflty, dangerously. "I would ever have taken such a fool child for a dear servant?"

He spoke directly to Draco, he had seen the dark mark emblazoned on Draco's left forearm.

"You would be the first… to my knowledge to be marked so young."

"Now," he spoke with a sympathetic air now. "Tell me for what reason did you follow Harry outside?"

Harry waited, he wanted to reach out and lay a hand on Draco's trembling shoulder… but he would wait, if Draco betrayed them?

"I - there was…a… a thing…." He seemed to struggled for a moment, "Vampire… it was a b-boggart but every - everyone thought it was r-real…"

"A vampire boggart?" Riddle repeated, his eyes closed in thought.

Would the lie work?

Neither Harry nor Draco had answered the inquiry, Harry was trying to catch his eye and thank him but his face was turned resolutely toward the floor. A dull _thunk-thunk _noise made Riddle open his eyes, his gaze swept past the two one the floor and over to someone in the dark corner.

Someone, a silent Slytherin understood the meaning of that look and crossed the room. He stopped in front of the door, pressed a palm to the middle of the heavy dungeon door. A small _click_ followed and his hand fell to the handle and pulled, the door gave and opened.

In the corridor stood one Severus Snape, Harry didn't spare him a hateful stare as he strode in, carrying a small wooden trunk.

"The other Staff finished with the students and wanted me to bring you the…evidence," Severus said, ignoring Harry and Draco entirely. "that someone set a boggart on the tour party."

"Very good." Riddle made him set the trunk down at his feet, between himself and his prisoners. "Go and tell those mediocre fools (but don't call them that) I'll have answers for them shortly."

Severus bowed and backed out into the corridor, the door was shut and another clicking sound ensured no extra interruption. Harry cursed internally his inaction during that brief period escape had been an option.

*8*

A/n sorry for the length and the wait, but my time with the computer has been severely limited, a very cramped hour given my other obsessions. Thanks for the reviews, yeah the descriptive bits got a crazy muddled in the last segment.

The title cry wolf is taken from the old morale tale of the boy who…. But in this case it's rather a who cried wolf? Voldemort is trying to uncover a mystery , and I haven't decided exactly the sequence of things to come. Also writing a miserable moment for the characters while alternately clicking over to a page with an extremely funny demon slash story doesn't provide the right 'color' for the mood.


	11. Part 3 Bad fate

*8*

The case was tied shut with fraying twine, Riddle gave an irritated jerk with his wand and the rope loosened, the lid jumped, settled unevenly on it's box so that the dark space inside gaped at the room. Riddle's eyes swept along that thin black line of space before, whatever resided within moved, the lid sent clattering.

Harry pulled away, he didn't want to be so close to the thing that had come out. Realizing too late that Draco was now again the closer to the box, where a shifting column of densely, poisonously black smoke surged upward and whipped by an otherworldly invisible wind into the familiar tall human shape. Eyes red as if every vessel of blood in them had been popped stared widely, madly out at the Slytherins ranging the room, the sight sent several of them skittering away and into corners furthest from the spot.

Draco nearest it was bent unmoving before the figure and when Harry finally thought to drag Draco back with him Riddle stepped forward, between them and gazed intently up and unknowingly at his former/ future self.

"What is he?" Riddle asked into the resounding silence.

Harry's mind was full of weak lies, words died wetly malformed formed behind his teeth, his mind returning once and again the vampire line. "Well?" Riddle prompted, not turning from his discovery.

Harry made no reply and was inching slowly around, toward Draco but Draco shook his head silently at the floor. _What did that mean?_

"It is his?" Riddle asked again, sending Harry a hatefully satisfied smile. Harry meant to return with a rude remark about vanity but Draco came across him, answering.

"Mine. It's mine." it wasn't a lie.

"Then _Mudd_," Riddle nearly spat the name. "help me understand what I am seeing, this strange effigy of your spineless fright?"

"I er- well - It's just that it really isn't scary," Draco stammered. " Na- Now that I think about it…"

Riddle scoffed, brow knit with disbelief and nervous, abbreviated laughter echoed dryly from the huddled Slytherins.

"So then this creature is not the least bit loathsome? Or would you say beautiful?" he challenged lazily, a fixed smirk turning the ends of his mouth again.

Draco gaped, his mouth falling and snapping shut like a fish gasping silently out-of-water. It seemed unwise to say 'no' in case things panned out unfavorably… if _he _found out? Riddle's smile loosened, grew wider.

"A jest, Draco. Now something must be frightening or this kindly silent guest would not have arrived before you."

A sense of foreboding struck Harry, chill sweat blossoming on the nape of his neck. It seemed odd that Riddle had allowed them to get away with half-answers until now, did he already have some idea of who had been summoned by Draco's fear?

Without waiting for another mangled lie Riddle faced again the pallid creature, whose feet were still inside the small trunk, robes spilling out and over the rims.

"Can it speak?" he said aloud, as if to himself.

The boggart's eyes narrowed to scarlet slits, old stagnating wounds in a cartilage white face. No longer gazing spectrally at nothing in particular, its expression mirrored that of Riddle's. A probing curiosity, touched by irritation.

"I'll kill Lucius." It said suddenly.

Harry breathed a relief audibly, spouting violent nonsense wouldn't mean much to Riddle.

"Lucius?"

"Yes, I think I'll kill him." It answered, gaze shifting from Riddle to Draco. "First the father fails in the simplest tasks entrusted to him by the Dark Lord and now the son has deserted me."

"The dark lord? Son? Deserted?" Riddle demanded. "Are the Dark Lord's servant?"

The thing's head snapped back toward Riddle, angrily whipping out it's wand and shouting, "I _am _the Dark Lord. He who doubts his lord will suffer - _CRUCIO_!"


	12. part 4 Blame

_**8** _

_-CRUCIO!"_ Riddle's brows arched in surprise, upward on his forehead and he jumped backwards, dodging the dangerous end of the wand as it was being thrust in his direction with an almost childish glee, even as nothing happened.

"Wait!" Riddle called as several of the taller Slytherin aimed their own wands at the boggart.

They dropped their arms and watched the boggart brandish the wand in a more and more sword-like action, eventually catching Draco on the back in another wild swing. The wand snagged in Draco's robes, tearing them further as its owner wrestled it free of its entanglement. Draco let loose a terrified shout, which seemed to re-exhilarate the boggart and remind it of the original object of its fear mongering. Bringing down the wand again in a series of lashings, it seemed the boggart had also found a more effective use for his magic-less weapon.

"Stop!" Draco threw up his arms, trying to shield himself from the barrage. His plea mingling with the raving from his tormentor.

"THE DARK LORD ASKS ONLY THAT YOU REDEEM THE HONOR YOUR FATHER LOST-"

"Enough." Riddle's voice was low, the chill of it seeming to seep into the air so that you might be breathing it instead of hearing. The boggart obliviously finished it's frenzied whipping only when another two blows shattered it into three large splinters.

Riddle silently observed the boggart gaping idiotically down at the longest piece, still clutched in its hand. It's pathetically mournful expression hardened into a sullen snarl as it tossed that last bit scornfully at Draco, as if Draco had wanted its toy and broken it on purpose. Draco jerked, as the chunk glanced harmlessly off and onto the floor.

"I don't understand," Riddle said aloud. "If you are the Dark Lord, why are our appearances so varied? Or is it a lie, did you merely derive your appearance from this boys foolish ideas of fear?"

"I am Lord Voldemort." It repeated petulantly. Harry hoped Draco had another- any other brilliant idea to save their (or, as was more likely, to save his own) skins.

"You are not." Riddle challenged, cocking his head and squinting, trying to see something in the face offered up to him.

Maybe fear? A lie? Perhaps a physical connection ? He couldn't hope to discover anything of the last, the Dark Lord of Harry and Draco's memories having, many years ago abandoned good looks and charm for pure, hungry power and ruthlessness. If looks might kill, Harry thought Riddle might have accidentally committed some bizarre type of suicide, because the boggarts lip curled and its nostrils flared in an almost painful looking rage at such a blatant denial of its lordliness.

"If you _are_ the Dark Lord, how is it you know who Misters Mud and Hood are?" Riddle pressed, turning slightly to keep Harry in his sight. "Yes, I heard a tale of this er- _Vampire _speaking with you as well." he added with a nod toward Harry.

"Mud? Hood?" The boggart parroted in a remarkable good imitation of Riddle's mocking tones. It smirked with the same sort of satisfaction Dudley might've had if he'd just delivered a final punch to break a small 10 year olds glasses in a remote corner of the school yard.

"Then what about Draco and Harry?" Riddle demanded as its maddening grin faded into a worried pursing, its focus straying with out a wand to play 'wizard' with.

"Potter?" Harry's nails dug painfully into his palms as the thing eagerly latched onto the familiar subject. It held Riddle's gaze, a red gleam reflecting into the still brown ones, the expressions of sudden rapture matching perfectly the counterparts. Speaking matter-of-factly, "Potter is mine."

Harry had heard versions of this line, perhaps a hundred times to date but Riddle looked as if his favorite relative had come for the holiday and had promised the gift Riddle'd been dropping hints about all year. Which perhaps wasn't too far from what was happening.

"Now, I wonder how it is you got 'Potter' from just the names Harry and Draco?" Riddle asked eagerly, a knowing smile flickering into sight, before Riddle could bite the inside of his cheek to suppress it.

Boggart-mort's expression was incredulous, _what other Harry Potter was there?_ Riddle waited, breath bated but disbelief was scrawled across its white face, reminiscent of a mime, a flawless delivery of silence. Riddles fingers twitched, almost involuntarily turning over his wand and he wondered for a moment whether pain curses worked on such simple creatures? How much patience would he need for the things he needed to know?

"Draco," Riddle said abruptly, a forced calm in his demeanor as though forgetting the boggart entirely. "Why do you think this _Dark Lord_ seems to know you and I do not?"

"I - I don't kn-know…sir." Draco's arms supporting him were shaking, weak with fear and pain, he sank lower in his bow, his voice nearly muffled against the floor as he spoke. "… It- its jus a f-figment of my im- imagin - "

"You are lying," Riddle's musing tone bristling suddenly in warning of its undercurrent of rage. "Whatever this thing knows, you know it too."

"Draco?" He asked softly but no less dangerously. "I'm most curious about you tonight. It doesn't make sense to me, a boy entirely unknown to me appearing and bearing the mark of my servant and even more curious is that he chooses to disobey the lord he must truly call master- for even his fear manifests it…if only in name."

"I haven't disobeyed. Not once - ever-"

"But you have!" Riddle cried. "You've as good as told this room yourself."

He indicated the boggart, Draco shook his head silently. "That wasn't my fault! That - It was taken from me!"

"It's not too late," Riddle offered. "Let there be no more falsehoods and distrust between us, do not shame us further and answer; How did the mark on your skin come to rest in the skies over Hogwarts?"

Harry's stomach clenched, a memory of a body crushed and ruined at the foot of a tower rising unbidden, inwardly despairing. _Did that mean_? _Did someone die_? _Again_? _Who_?

Draco looked up, sweat slicking a pale sickly looking face. Riddle nodded as though Draco spoken and admitted guilt.

"Did you know that no one other than myself knew the incantation to cast the Dark Mark, my signature - until tonight that is- and it had only seen use a handful of times and now it has appeared twice?" Riddle mercilessly continued. "Tell me, between the two (of you, who were outside) who am I to believe could cast it?"

"No," Draco's mantra. "Th- There were oth-ers, others."

Riddle stared unblinkingly at Draco, examining it. "A werewolf?" he asked under his breath after a moment.

"And the others? What are they?" He asked and Harry's chest constricted, _if he used Legilimency_? _He would've seen_. Answering its own question.

Draco made a small, half-strangled hiccupping noise in answer and Riddle ignored him, turning again and giving Harry the same searching stare. Harry dropped his gaze, remembering how this sort of magic worked. He heard a sigh and saw a black robe hem come, kicked into view and he resisted the urge to look and see Riddle's expression, whether he would use a curse.

"Draco's memory -" Draco jumped a bit at the mention, "fades with a deer and dog rescuing you from a half-bred monster?"

It wasn't really a question and Harry made no attempt to answer, concentrating on the lessons he'd had on Occlumency, the magic that blocked Legilimens. _Eye-contact is bad_…what else? He hadn't tried very hard in those lessons and really had it mattered then, when he had a wand and the Dark Lord's own fear of the connection to shield him?

"I think," Riddle's voice penetrated the little concentration Harry had to muster a defense. "That animals do not behave in such ways, unless they are not true beasts… and I think that Harry has something that would benefit all here to hear?"

"Are you frightened?" Riddle's voice rasping as it fell to a whisper. "Haven't grown weary of the game?"

Seething Harry scowled at the cuts in the back of his hand, the writing in the scarlet ink of his own blood as a taunting dare and a warning. A curse scar.

"_Imperio_." Harry felt rather than heard the incantation, as a sensation of dizzying comfort and lazy warmth, not unlike after a glass of dark elderberry wine or an afternoon napping in the sun, rippled and settled over him. _Unnecessary_… was his last selfish thought, free from any true emotional attachment or even fear at the loss of self, himself, he as he should be and maybe _he_ thought this was easier. He felt vaguely a shedding of the outer layers, the skins he'd donned to protect others. Others, not himself.

_It's Okay. _A voice said would-be comfortingly, but something about it made Harry notice it, he wasn't supposed to care but he disliked the trailing laughter and the slight hissing underneath. They - or it was mocking him. He, Harry was irritated, though only distantly and mildy like bee buzzing under a glass somewhere nearby.

_Just Tell Him, It'll be easier if you don't keep secrets… Honesty is the best policy… _It sang leeringly in his head, echoing the Muggle proverb and breaking into irrepressible snickering. _YOU-MUSN'T-TELL-LIES-HARRY._

Suddenly a firebrand of pain shattered the barrier protecting him from thinking and knowing. He gasped, cradling his bloodied hand in the other and shivered against the icy air leeching the residual warmth from the mindless void he'd been rescued from. He looked around and still gulping air to revive his lungs which burned as if he'd somehow breathed water into them. Riddle's face was blank and held none of the anger in the voice Harry heard in the last moments of the Imperius and instead seemed bored, brows raised in polite interest.

"You didn't answer?" He said after a moment, watching Harry recover.

Harry snorted, "You never asked."

"I see," a version of the laughter from Harry's head, echoing from Riddle. "I'm so fond of my spells…and I'd forgotten that they are unnecessary."

Harry's dropped his gaze down, remembering about eye-contact and seeing Malfoy's eyes horror-movie wide with frozen fear. This more than the pain of coming alive again made him guiltily aware of how easily he could have- and had wanted to abandon his sorrow for others to figure out. The feeling of _needing_ to protect, how much he couldn't stand it if another person fell standing in the way between him and Voldemort was resurrected with that idiots helplessness.

"Who are the animagus?" Harry's head jerked upwards at the question, finding Riddle's smile reforming under darkly glinting eyes.

His mouth watered with the struggle to keep silent, he swallowed the saliva and with that slight movement he felt an iron-clad grip seize his throat and he choked. Coughing, with barely enough air to speak, the names of the marauders wheezed out. The instant he had finished saying 'Pettigrew' he was allowed to breath and collapsed onto the floor, feeling light-headed for all the airlessness of the last hour.

"Goody Gryffindors hanging about with a dark creature on the night such a sign appears in the sky?" Riddle said gleefully, boggart-mort behind him doing small jig on the spot and nearly falling out of its trunk. "Thank you Harry."

"It wasn't them." Harry said thickly, feeling as though he might've bitten of the tip of his tongue in the effort earlier.

" 'Course not. No Gryffindor could ever have equaled the depth of character and will one needs to cast and mean it. No, it doesn't matter. They are simply victims of their foolish friendship and unwitting proxies for the blame."

No one seemed to understand what Riddle had found so exciting, a few Slytherin seemed more concerned (a furious muttering confirming) with the idea of a werewolf outside right now. Riddle elaborated only half-irritably, "The minsity will be looking into this events of this night and when they find a disgusting werewolf and three illegal animagi they won't even bother with anyone else."

"No!" It was Harry's turn to plead.

"Oh, yes." Riddle said dismissively, "Draco, I think I can rely on you to make sure our ministry friends are made to look in the right direction?"

Draco nodded, "Good, and you," he bent down to whisper into Harry ear. "Will not contradict a single word of mine or betray Draco to the ministry. You will insist that you were attacked by the werewolf and his friends, that you went out for some air after the disastrous tour when they went for the kill."

"No." Harry repeated stubbornly.

"Do you still have rebellious schemes to cling to?" Riddle asked without caring. "It's admirable, but wasted when you ought to worry more about yourself and-" he pointed his wand, wordlessly and invisibly- Draco collapsed completely, thrashing and screaming so loudly Harry wondered whether the stone and depth of the room under the castle would really keep the sound from traveling. His mouth stretched widely and darkly, screams echoing with pain and blood seeping afresh from several of the cuts on his face, where the scabbing flaked away.

"STOP." Harry shouted. A second more in which Riddle smiled lazily at the sight before he lifted the curse and said, "Draco needs you to listen, Harry. He needs you to play along and behave."

Harry shook his head, he might've left Draco to fate as Voldemort's lackey a year ago but now? … Still shaking his head 'no' the words he said without inflection were, "Leave him alone- and everyone else leave them out of this and I… I won't tell the ministry anything you don't tell me to."

"Harry," Riddle sighed. "I need you to be more spirited than that, the ministry has people with the cunning and will it really takes to achieve its ends these days and what if it came to a question that doesn't fit with the approved script?"

"I'll lie." Harry said automatically, clenching his fists so that he could feel the cuts on the back of his palm sting a bit.

"Excellent." Riddle knelt, crouching closely so only Harry could hear. Harry jerked, Riddle's lips grazing his ear as he spoke. He pulled back, licking them and Harry wondered with a pounding heart, again whether Riddle could feel the pain of it.

**8**

Outside the sky was lightening along the furthest fringe of tree-tops from the forest and blindly in the dark three boys were dragging a fourth through a narrow over-sized rabbit tunnel. They were fevered and thirsty, throats parched in the effort to return to the castle. It would be hours into the morning, the sun risen completely by the time they would emerge.

They would get Remus to Madame Pomfrey and then if they had time before dinner (Peter had complained at least six times about how hungry he was), find those Slytherins (James privately hoped they'd bled to death in the alley) and be sure to explain to the machinations of life at Hogwarts.

**8**

A/n Thnx to JeanEllenGair for the advice, if you're still interested in this, I'd like to know whether the new version is any better or perhaps just less of a give away and equally uninteresting? I noticed its taken awhile to update so you may need to go on to my profile and see under the author's stories part to see the new and hopefully improved version.

Hopefully this turned out decent for the work it too to organize and hammer the bits of scene and script into place. I had forgotten two points to this whole subset of chapters and didn't want to break it up any further. Mainly I'd forgotten the Dark Mark bit and the boggart seemed to want perform some improv (didn't like his lines, apparently). Luckily he was persuaded with a gift basket of rubber duckies to keep it to a minimum.

I've decided that when I've finished this story that I will change my username, I've already got one in mind but am making myself wait, partially as an incentive to keep this going and partially as a penalty for the suckiness of the current one.

Thx ^ ^ .

**8**


End file.
